Candies and Pumpkins
by Cordite Quill
Summary: Sarah is surprised when the Goblin King visits her while she's nearly elbow-deep in a pumpkin. Is this the start of a new Halloween tradition? One that involves candy apples, jack o'lanterns, scary movies, goblins, magic, and a hint of romance?
1. Part One

**Candies and Pumpkins (Part One)**

He'd first re-appeared in her life when she was twenty-one and carving a jack o'lantern. She wasn't sure she liked his choice; she had been up to her elbows in pumpkin muck and suddenly she'd felt tingles along her skin; enough to make the hair on the back of her arms stick up. When she'd glanced up, she'd seen him sitting there in her favorite armchair, the overstuffed one she'd bought at a yard sale.

"Jareth," she'd said, surprised.

"Sarah," he'd answered, amused and with that know-it-all smirk.

She waited for the explanation, squelching up another handful of pumpkin seeds and orange goo, depositing it on the newspaper laid out for the purpose. Jareth watched; distaste causing his thin lips to draw down in an inverted cupid's bow. Annoyance at his silence—and the fact she was noticing the curve of his lips—caused her to ask, "Why are you here?"

"Why not?" Jareth answered, idly twirling a crystal sphere on the back of his hand. "Do you wish me to be elsewhere?"

"It's been six _years_, Goblin King. I find myself wondering why _now_ and not, say, when I was sixteen or seventeen or eighteen—"

"Or nineteen? Or twenty?" Jareth grinned.

Sarah frowned, wondering how the Goblin King always managed to make her feel silly and young. She may have grown from her fifteen year old self, but the Goblin King looked painfully, wistfully, _exactly _the same. She stared at the corn silk hair that billowed about his face in dreamy wisps, the outlandish clothes, the glitter that seemed to make his skin glow, and of course, the crystal sphere.

"Perhaps I felt like visiting," Jareth answered, enigmatically, "and the veil between the worlds is thinner on All Hallow's Eve. Everyone knows that."

He always liked enigmatic, riddle-filled answers. Sarah bent over her pumpkin, scraping up the last of the seeds. She said, "Stay, go, whatever Goblin King."

"Truly Precious?" the Goblin King had said, his voice just above a whisper.

"Oh yes, truly," Sarah had answered, amused. "I don't mind."

She hadn't thought it through completely, but she heard a noise—it sounded like "Wonderful"—and when she had looked back towards Jareth, she found herself alone.

That was it, the whole visit. Her twenty-first Halloween, the Goblin King popped in to say hello for the first time.

# # # #

On her twenty-second Halloween, Sarah opened the door of her apartment while awkwardly carrying a plastic bag with a large pumpkin inside. She stopped in the threshold, because the Goblin King once again sat on her favorite armchair, his legs dangling over the side.

"You're back," she said, surprised.

"Did you miss me, Precious?" Jareth asked.

Sarah snorted and put the pumpkin down on the counter. "Why should I? Last year you barely said hello to me—and before that, we haven't had a very cheery history."

"I don't know about that," Jareth answered, swinging his legs around. "We had a rather nice dance, if I recall."

Sarah didn't say anything—mostly because she _did _recall that dance, and it still filled her heart with tingles and her stomach with butterflies. No one could ever match the way the Goblin King had lightly touched her and whisked her away, as if she had been flying. But Sarah kept her face hidden from Jareth, in case he saw anything in her expression she didn't want him to see, and said, "I guess so."

She took out the pumpkin and fetched her special pumpkin carving knives. Jareth watched, curious, as she laid out newspaper over the kitchen island and dove her knife into the soft, orange flesh of the pumpkin's crown.

He said, "You're doing that again."

"I do it every year," she said. "There should always be jack o'lanterns for Halloween."

"Jack o'lanterns? Halloween?"

"Don't tell me you don't know what Halloween is?" Sarah asked, surprised.

Jareth frowned. "There's no such thing as Halloween in the Underground."

"It's tons of fun," Sarah said. "You carve pumpkins and dress up in costumes and give out candy and watch scary movies…" Sarah grinned. "I'd think it would be your kind of holiday."

"While I admit that scaring children does hold a certain appeal, I don't see how carving squashes or costuming would be valid."

"It's for fun," Sarah answered. "Stick around, you'll see."

And the Goblin King did stay. He lounged on various bits of furniture—from the armchair to the sofa, and then perched on a barstool, but eventually he went back to the armchair—as Sarah carved her pumpkin, set it outside with a candle, and made candied apples for the trick-or-treaters. She'd always made candied apples, since she was ten years old and helping her father. Now it was tradition. Her father still made candied apples with Toby, but Sarah was hundreds of miles away. There was a pleasant feeling knowing that even if she wasn't with family, she shared this tradition.

She liked choosing different toppings: some of the apples were coated in chocolate, some in caramel; some had multi-colored sprinkles, some were coated in peanuts, or walnuts, or almond slivers; she had a few with butterscotch, and a few with a white chocolate crust. The neighboring kids always made sure to visit Sarah's small house, enjoying the multi-colored, delicious treat. She limited herself to fifty candy apples and the kids knew if they wanted one, they had to arrive early.

Jareth watched from the corner of his eye, as he flicked through the cable channels, every time the doorbell rang and Sarah opened it to yet another child with a pail or bag raised and yelling joyously, "Trick or treat!"

He watched as Sarah extended the tray and let the child choose a cellophane-wrapped candy apple. Near the end of the night, a little girl with large eyes dressed as the Wicked Witch of the West regarded the apples with such intensity—making sure to choose the brightest, most sprinkle-encrusted one—that Sarah couldn't help but chuckle when the door closed.

Jareth said, "The costume was amusing, although I liked the Mad Hatter better."

Sarah turned, noting how Jareth looked with the tight, black dress shirt. It had black, glittery threads woven into it, giving off the most subtle brilliance when the light hit it just so. And, of course, he had paired it with his signature too-tight-pants and leather boots. She watched one of his gloved hands stroke the material of her sofa's armrest, absently. He had surprisingly long fingers.

Sarah glanced at the few candy apples on her tray and decided to end early that Halloween. She went outside and blew out the candle in the jack o'lantern, then flicked off the porch light and when she stepped back inside, she locked the door and went to sit next to Jareth on the sofa.

He stiffened slightly, then relaxed as she rested her feet on the nearby ottoman and offered him the candy apple tray. "Want one?" she asked.

He regarded the treats with an expression as thoughtful and intense as the little girl's, as if he were choosing something much more important than a candy apple, and Sarah felt a smile tug her lips. Carefully, Jareth grabbed the stick of a chocolate-and-walnut one, then undid the cellophane and took a bite.

His eyes widened. "This is rather good!"

"Of course," Sarah sniffed. "I made it, didn't I?"

After that, she always made two extra candy apples. One for herself, and one for a certain Goblin King.

# # # #

On her twenty-third Halloween, Jareth appeared just after Sarah put out the carved pumpkin—and he didn't come alone. Goblins managed to sneak past him, much to his annoyance, and frolic around the apartment. Sarah laughed as Jareth tried to tell them to go back to the Labyrinth immediately. They didn't listen. She was less happy when they got into her sock drawer.

The goblins would have eaten all the candy apples if Sarah hadn't kept them out of arm's reach, and Jareth hadn't threatened with the bog every time the creatures snuck towards the tray.

Once again, Jareth watched from the corner of his eye, while flicking through Food Network, as Sarah handed out the candy. Near the end of the night, he pointed and said, "Was that the Mad Hatter?"

"Yeah."

"But that was not the same costume."

"No," she said, going to the kitchen area, "that was a Joker costume—from the new movie." She glanced at Jareth and only saw confusion, so she added, "Never mind. You don't have to have the same costume every year, though."

Sarah had purposefully made a few extra candy apples this year, thinking that the Goblin King would visit, and she was glad she'd planned ahead because she handed the candy to each goblin.

They gave her wide, crooked-toothed grins.

"Thanks Lady!"

"Mmm, candy!"

"Kingy was right about yo—"

"Jeebo!" Jareth said, warningly.

"What? What did the King say about me?" Sarah asked, glancing with amusement at Jareth.

Jeebo chomped down the whole candy apple, cellophane and all. Sarah winced as Jeebo picked out the cellophane from where it had caught between his teeth, then chewed on the wooden stick. He glanced nervously at the other goblins, then murmured, "He said Lady was really nice—"

"Bog," Jareth said, and Jeebo disappeared in a puff of glitter.

"Oh, Jareth! Why bog him for a compliment _you _gave me?" Sarah asked, grabbing the last two candy apples and plopping down on the sofa.

"His memory is not entirely factual, Precious," Jareth said, switching off the television. "I recall saying that your _confectionaries_ were quite delightful."

"Oh, is that what you said?" Sarah asked, smirking, and offered him one of the candy apples.

"Indeed," Jareth said, reaching for it, but Sarah didn't let the stick go. Their fingers brushed; she could feel the warmth of the Goblin King's skin against her own. She looked up to see the Goblin King watching her with such an intense look in his eyes, she felt her heart pick up speed. She felt her cheeks heat and hastily let the candy go.

Jareth thoughtfully unwrapped the cellophane and took a bite, then he asked, "Where is your family, Sarah?"

Sarah blinked, surprised by this question. She leaned back on the sofa and said, "They're back home, I mean, where they've always been." She selected the other candy apple, a caramel one, and added, "Toby's eight now."

"Eight! Has that much time flown through the mortal lands?" Jareth shook his head in wonder. "Perhaps I have been away too long."

"You don't visit up here often?"

"No, not often," Jareth said, then glanced at her. "Never had a reason to before."

_Careful, _Sarah's inner voice whispered, even as her heart seemed to give a jerk in her chest. Jareth's words were an invitation—and perhaps a trap. Sarah decided to ignore them.

"How is everyone in the Underground?"

"You mean your friends," Jareth said, his voice coated with amusement—and something else, something darker. Sarah shifted, uneasily, wondering if she'd made a mistake, but Jareth answered casually, "Hodgehead, Ludo, and Didymus are fine. You should speak to them more often."

Sarah winced. "I…"

"Grew up?" Jareth finished, looking up from his candy to meet her gaze. "Ah, Precious, I know." He cast a hot glance over her body that left her blushing furiously, then looked away. "But, trust me, the magic of the Labyrinth doesn't easily leave. You shine like a beacon because of your time there. I would advise you to not fight it."

Sarah shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do with the information, so she changed the subject and asked Jareth if he wanted anything to drink. The Goblin King shook his head, so she went to the kitchen area to get a glass of water for herself. He said, his voice seeming to caress her back, "How is young Toby? And the rest of your family? How is…Karen?"

If he thought she wouldn't notice the slight pause, he was underestimating her. Sarah snorted, wondering just how much the Goblin King knew about her family life. She said, "Toby is fine. Enjoying school, from what I hear. And Karen is fine, too. Regardless of how I was like when I was _fifteen_, I'm older now and I'm okay with Karen. We may not be best friends—or even mother and daughter—but we're…okay. And I'm not two states away from them because of some self-imposed exile to get away from her, before you think of something dramatic."

"Why would I do that?"

"You _always _claimed I was childish like that," Sarah answered. "But I'm here because I went to Chicago University and then just stayed around here because I got a job."

"And what do you do?" Jareth leaned forward, propping his chin in one hand and delicately holding the half-eaten candy in the other.

"Set designs," Sarah answered.

"Do you enjoy that?"

"Yes," Sarah said, smiling.

They lapsed into silence for a few moments. Sarah finished off her candy. She could feel it settle heavy in her stomach and her eyes began to drift closed. She fought the lethargy, knowing she had to stay awake because there was a Goblin King in her home, and perhaps the mischievous goblins would come back, too. But, soon, her head lulled and her eyes drifted shut.

She jerked awake a moment later and sighed, glancing at Jareth. "It's funny that you're here now," she said, half to herself, and then before she could really think about what she was doing—and whether it was a good idea or not—she leaned her head against the Goblin King's shoulder.

Jareth stiffened. "What are you doing, Precious?"

"Mmm? I dunno," Sarah murmured, her voice slurring with her exhaustion. "Just don't move for a little while…just a little while…not very long at…"

And then Sarah started dreaming. Or at least that's what she thought she was doing, because she could have sworn the Goblin King began humming a song that was painfully familiar; one she'd heard once upon a time when she'd worn a white dress and danced with a king…

And she felt him gently run his fingers through her hair and felt him kiss the top of her head. Definitely had to be a dream, because the Goblin King wasn't being snarky or snide or smirky or challenging or frustrating or stubborn. Instead, he hummed through the song and sighed, then said, "Ah Precious, it's really not fair at all."

When Sarah woke the next morning, she was alone on her sofa with a throw laid over her. The candy tray was empty. She found a note on her fridge from Jareth, asking for forgiveness since the goblins seemed to have eaten all her ice cream and sliced cheese. Jareth's handwriting was very angular, filled with sharp corners. Sarah traced over his name, wondering what next Halloween would bring. For the first time ever, she wished the year would go faster so she could see him again.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Hi everyone. Look! I'm still here! And I come baring gifts - Halloween-themed gifts, to be specific! I know, I know, I have plenty of WIPs and I can hear some of my readers saying, "Hey, CQ, what's the deal? Why haven't you updated any of your OTHER stories?" Well, my pretties, the deal has been this: my life imploded, quite simply put. I got a new job which means I'm ridiculously busy. I grieved for a friend who died. And I went through a separation-that-will-eventually-be-a-divorce. And all of this within the span of four months. So, yes, that's the reason behind my sudden absence.

I wanted to do something for Halloween, though, and then this story came to my mind. It's different than my usual style and I'm just playing around a bit. You know, no pressure. It will either be a two-shot or a three-shot, dependent on word count. I'll upload the rest of it in the next week, so it should be done (*crosses fingers hopefully*) by Halloween (Can you believe it's nearly November?).

Sometimes, I just want a slightly-fluffy, friendly Goblin King, and this story will aim to please. Will I be able to keep it K-rated? Well, that's a mystery even I don't know yet...

**So, what did you think? Please leave a review!** Let me know! Does it pique your interest? Has my writing style changed a lot? Do you have a sudden urge to throw pumpkins at me? (Not the face, please!) All suggestions/reviews/thoughts/questions/etc. are welcome and replied to!

* * *

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Labyrinth in any way, shape, or form. No, not even the Goblin King, although there are days I wish I did..._


	2. Part Two

**Candies and Pumpkins (Part Two)**

On Sarah's twenty-fourth Halloween, the Goblin King came to find Sarah angrily slicing through the jack o'lantern, wielding a knife with expert—if frightening—precision. He watched quietly for a moment as Sarah muttered to herself and threw aside bits of orange pumpkin flesh, laid the lid down, and began shoving her hand inside and taking out handfuls of seeds.

Now that the knife was safely on the kitchen counter, Jareth said, "I sense something is amiss, Precious. Did something happen?"

Sarah jumped. She'd been so caught up in her own thoughts, she hadn't noticed Jareth there. But, when she saw the Goblin King, the initial happiness was quickly engulfed by her earlier unhappiness. Before she knew what she was saying, she snarled, "What do you care, Jareth? You're only a once-a-year friend anyway."

Jareth blinked, his expression souring. He flicked his fingers and a crystal appeared cupped in his palm, glowing with a soft light. "Excuse me," he said, coldly, "I seem to have arrived at a bad time. I'll take my leave."

Sarah froze, surprised, and her mind sputtered to her: _Don't let him go! You won't see him again for a whole year!_

"Wait!" Sarah said, holding out a hand as if she could physically stop the Goblin King from disappearing in a puff of magic and glittery smoke. But, Jareth did pause, glancing at her even if his expression didn't change. His mismatched eyes were guarded, his cupid's bow of a mouth tilted downwards. Oddly, Sarah had the most delicious urge to kiss him.

She ignored it and said, "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. I—I've had a rough few days."

Jareth hesitated, as if weighing his options, or perhaps he was unsure whether to broach the subject, but finally he began juggling the crystal as he did before, when Sarah had first met him. The ball slid easily over his knuckles and the back of his hand, before he would give a quick jerk and send the crystal back to his palm.

"Care to talk about it, Precious?"

Sarah watched the crystal ball. It was almost hypnotic. "I lost my job yesterday."

Jareth stopped juggling, the crystal vanishing just before it finished its trek back to his palm. She noticed a bit of glitter shined on Jareth's glove, the only testament that the crystal sphere had ever been there. "I'm so sorry, Precious."

The way he said it was genuine, and it made Sarah seek his eyes. She looked into them and found comfort and a gentleness that seemed to belay what she knew about the Goblin King—and yet, the expression sat easily on his features. Sarah nervously looked away and muttered, "Yeah, well, it was only a matter of time. The theater's been losing money. People would rather pay for a movie ticket than see a play, it seems." Sarah sighed. "But I really loved that job. And now I'm twenty-four and unemployed with few skills and—god, if I have to work at some horrible fast-food joint, I may cry."

In fact, she could feel the tears now and even as she struggled against them, the first teardrop slid out of the corner of her eye and down her cheek. Jareth didn't say anything, just came up to her silently and put a gloved hand on her shoulder. It was a simple gesture of friendship and comfort, and it made the tears come faster. Before Sarah knew it, she was pressed against the Goblin King's shoulder, sobbing her frustration and anger away.

At length, her tears spent, she quieted, which is when she realized Jareth's arms were around her and he was soothingly rubbing her back. She froze, breathing deeply. He smelled like cinnamon and wilderness; like a long walk in a wood while the morning dew was just evaporating—a fresh, clean, _untamed _smell. She wanted to press her nose closer and take deep whiffs.

His shirt was also surprisingly soft. It seemed to be made of silk. Sarah lifted a hand and fingered the material on his arm. _Yeah, definitely silk._

Jareth stiffened, then drew her back and stared at her, frowning with worry. Sarah smiled at the expression. In just a couple of dozen minutes, how many expressions had she seen on the Goblin King's face? This really was a special night.

They stared at each other for a few long moments, and then Sarah reached up, hypnotized by his otherworldly appearance—the sweep of his eyebrows, the angular features, those curved but thin lips, the magical yet mismatched eyes, and the golden blonde hair in its outrageous dandelion-puff style. Sarah ran her fingers through the hair, finally answering a question she'd had since she was fifteen.

His hair _was _soft. Maybe he held it in that style by magic, but it certainly wasn't hair styling product that kept it puffed out and around his face. In fact, it felt as soft as a dandelion.

She reached up with her other hand and ran it through the other side of his hair, relishing the feel of the soft strands against her skin.

Jareth sucked his breath in and murmured, "Precious…?"

Sarah froze, her eyes widening. She jerked her hands back to her side and stared at Jareth like a deer caught in headlights. _What did I just do? I ran my hands through _the Goblin King_'s hair! What's wrong with me?_

Sarah licked her lips and shuddered when Jareth's eyes followed the motion. He took a deep breath. _He's going to ask me something important, _Sarah thought. _Here we go…_

And then she felt a tug on her jeans and looked down to see Jeebo staring impatiently up at her. He said, "Where's candy, Lady?"

Trust a goblin to horribly ruin a moment. Sarah blinked and stepped back from Jareth, and he turned and glared at his subject, then glanced around and noticed the lack of Halloween decorations, the absence of candy apples. He frowned and said, "Actually, that's a good question, Precious. Where is the usual candy?"

"Well, since I had some extra time yesterday and I didn't want to think, I made my candy already." Sarah went to fridge and took out a tray of candy apples.

Jareth's frown deepened. "There's only a dozen there."

"Right. I just don't feel up to the whole thing this year," Sarah said. She sighed, hating the way admitting that made her feel. Halloween was her favorite holiday, perhaps even more so than Christmas. She'd always loved the imaginary quality of it; the fact a person could be anyone they wanted to be. She loved making candies and decorating and carving jack o'lanterns, but she just wasn't in the mood this year. She'd only picked up a pumpkin because she thought carving it would be therapeutic. "I made just enough for you, me, and _ten _goblins."

Jareth's lips twitched into the beginnings of a smile. "Ten?"

"After last year when they ate me out of house and home, plus left quite a mess in the bathtub—did you think I wouldn't notice that, by the way?—I've decided I'll only allow _ten _goblins into my home at one time."

"While I did not know about the bathtub," Jareth said, glaring at Jeebo, who had the decency to look sheepish, "I can't imagine how you will enforce that rule, Precious. Goblins have a way of…appearing when you least expect them."

_Like just a few minutes ago? _Sarah thought, wondering if she should feel relieved or frustrated by Jeebo's timing. Instead of trying to decide the answer to that complicated question, Sarah passed Jareth and Jeebo candy apples.

"So what will you do tonight if not entertain trick-or-treaters with your confectionaries?" Jareth asked, unwrapping the cellophane.

"Scary movies. I've got a pile of them. Want to join me?"

"Oooh!" Jeebo said. "Yes!"

"I think she was asking _me_, pipsqueak," Jareth said, rolling his eyes. "And yes, I think I will stay. Is this another Halloween tradition?"

"You could say that. A good scary movie is pretty fun."

So, Sarah and Jareth sat on the sofa while goblins began appearing—climbing out from underneath furniture and closets, much to Sarah's dismay—until there was a veritable crowd of them clustered in front of the sofa. Sarah popped in _Halloween _first—the original one—thinking to start off with a classic. Jareth found the movie amusing if not very scary, and Sarah had seen it before, even if the music always managed to make her shiver. The goblins, on the other hand, were the true entertainment. Every time a scary moment happened, they would squeal and grab at something—each other, Sarah or Jareth's legs, the carpet, the furniture. During moments of tension, various goblins would shout at the television:

"Don' go there! He there in closet!"

"This lady stupid!"

"Why make out now? Jeebo don't understand!"

"Ah! What that? What that in corner? Is that him? That's him, isn't it? Look out!"

Sarah giggled at the running commentary, and Jareth rolled his eyes and kicked away goblins when they grabbed at his boots. The candy apples were quickly eaten, and then the goblins munched happily on the wooden sticks.

After _Halloween_, there were a few other scary movies: _The Haunting_, _The Exorcist_, and finally _The Asylum_. She hadn't seen all of them and there were a few truly scary moments where she yelped along with the goblins, pointed at the TV and told the characters what to do…and grabbed the Goblin King. He didn't kick her away, instead he seemed rather pleased when she jumped and clung to his arm during particularly horrifying moments. He munched on the popcorn she'd made after _Halloween_, seemingly unaffected by the scary movies, although he did pause and wince at a few moments in _The Asylum_, his lip curling distastefully.

At first, there were knocks on the door and Jareth would stiffen at each one, glancing at Sarah, but she ignored them and soon the knocks lessened. It was the first time in the years she'd lived there that she hadn't made candy apples, and the neighborhood children were still hopeful that even if the porch light was off, Miss Williams had apples ready for them. Eventually, just before midnight, the knocking stopped.

By the early morning, they finished the last movie. The goblins were blinking sleepily and, for once, were happy to head back to the Underground. Sarah wondered what kind of beds goblins had. Maybe chicken-feather stuffed ones? She glanced at Jareth, who was finishing the last of the popcorn, and wondered what his room would look like. Probably dramatic and imposing, with deep colors and lots of fabrics.

Sarah yawned and said, "I guess I should call it a night."

"Yes, Halloween is technically over. I should go back to the Underground before the veil between worlds strengthens too much. It's always such a more…annoying process to crossover when the veil is in the way. I enjoyed this Halloween, Precious, even without trick-or-treaters."

"Come next year, I'll be in a better mood, promise."

Jareth smiled, and it was truly dazzling. Sarah felt transfixed by that smile, by the way it transformed the Goblin King's face. She blushed, realizing this was really the first time she'd _invited _him to visit her. Jareth said, "Next year, then."

"Or…" Sarah stopped. _"Or stay," _the words hung on her tongue, wanting to shimmy out of her mouth like silvery fish, but she held them back. Her heart pounded and she wasn't sure what was stopping her, exactly, but something in her heart just wasn't _sure_ and without the _sureness_, she let the words fade away.

Jareth waited for a moment, then said slowly, "Next year?"

"Yes." Sarah smiled and then she did something bold. She stepped closer to the Goblin King, leaned forward, and gave him a chaste, friendly kiss on the lips. Jareth's eyebrows rose, inquisitively. She said, "Just something for the remainder of the year. A goodbye…amongst friends."

Jareth hesitated, then nodded and said, "Yes, friends." He leaned forward and gave her a small kiss, as well. "Things will be better soon, Precious."

"I know…thanks, Jareth. Thanks for the company."

"Always. Just call when you need me," Jareth said. He paused, then added, "Truly, Precious."

Sarah nodded, but she already knew she wouldn't call, not when she wasn't sure yet. But, she said, "Of course. Take care of yourself."

Jareth smiled, and with a puff of glittery smoke, he was gone.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** So, yeah, apparently this will be a three-shot. :) Next time, the conclusion! Yay! So, how's it going? Choking on the sheer amounts of fluff and JxS sweetness yet? If so...then I've done my job. :P Like I said, I'm aiming for a nice Goblin King with this one. I just need a little sweetness and fluffiness right now.

Thank you everyone for your reviews, well-wishes, and comments! They encouraged me to get this next part out faster, but it's very late in my corner of the world and I should have been tucked up in bed an hour ago (I'm going to feel this in the morning) so I'm going to sign off. **Please review and tell me what you think!** All comments/suggestions/questions are welcomed and I will reply to each and every one, even if it takes me a day or two. Hope you're enjoying this little tale!

* * *

_Disclaimer: Still do not own anything in regards to the Labyrinth, I can only lay claim to my own original characters._


	3. Part Three

**Candies and Pumpkins (Part Three)**

On Sarah's twenty-fifth Halloween, she was ready for him. When he appeared in her favorite armchair, his legs outstretched and a smirk on his face, his expression quickly changed to puzzlement when he saw her.

"What are you wearing, Precious?"

Sarah touched the lacy, black dress. The cut was asymmetrical, one side ending at mid-calf, while the other side ended just above her knees. She nervously adjusted the black-and-purple pointed, felt hat with its silver star-and-moon embroidery, then said, defensively, "I'm a witch."

"A witch?" Jareth asked, incredulously.

"Yes, a witch. Not a hag-like witch, but one that knows her stuff and got into it fairly young." Sarah had created a spider handbag to go along with it, and slung across the top of the bag was a black cat cuddly toy. She pointed to it. "That's my familiar, Jorge."

Jareth merely raised his eyebrows and said, "Is this a usual Halloween tradition for you?"

"Actually, I don't usually dress up, but I was thinking," Sarah said, flopping down on the couch, "you only visit this one time a year and what haven't we done for Halloween? And then it came to me: trick-or-treating."

Jareth frowned. "Trick-or-treating?"

"Jareth, you're repeating what I say way too much for my comfort."

"I find it very difficult to process this, Precious. The Goblin King does not…trick-or-treat."

"Why not?"

"Well—"

"Have you ever trick-or-treated before?"

"Well, no—"

"_Is _there even trick-or-treating in the Underground?"

"Not really—"

"Then we definitely should do this!"

Jareth was looking amused, if somewhat hesitant. He said, "You've really thought this through, it would seem."

She had, actually. She'd spent _a lot _of time over the last year thinking about it and she'd come to realize one important thing: she didn't like the fact the Goblin King only stayed for one night a year. What the hell was up with that, anyway? Couldn't he just poof in and out as he pleased?

That line of thought led Sarah to realize she didn't actually know much about the Goblin King. Maybe there was a reason he only visited one night a year. Or maybe Jareth just didn't like her very much—but she had difficulty convincing herself of that. Why visit at all, then?

Sarah sighed, glancing at Jareth. He still was full of mysteries. However, that didn't mean she couldn't have fun when he visited. She'd really missed him—missed the magic he brought back to her life.

Jareth suddenly broke the silence. "Did you find a new job?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. I work at another theater company now. The pay is less, but the hours are better." Sarah shrugged. "It worked itself out."

"Things usually do."

Sarah said, "So, do you want to try this out or just spend another night in?"

Jareth considered, looking her up and down until she shifted uncomfortably, then he finally grinned and said, "How many tricks are there?"

"What?"

"Well, I assume in _trick_-or-treating, there will be a few tricks. How many?"

"Actually, you're trying more for _treats _than tricks."

Jareth huffed. "Really, Precious, what's the fun in that? All Goblin Kings excel at _tricks, _not treats. I really must teach you the _proper _way to do this."

"Does that mean you'll do it?" Sarah asked, grinning. "Because that means you need a costume—and no goblins! Could you imagine trying to keep an eye on goblins out there?" She made a vague gesture, indicating the outside world beyond the house. The goblins had caused enough mayhem in her own home over the years, particularly when it came to eating everything in sight—even munching on a few things that she never would have guessed they could find edible. She could just imagine the chaos they'd bring as they jumped into candy bags and stole kids' treats. Yeah, definitely better to keep the goblins home this year—and if that meant some alone time with Jareth, well, that was just a small perk.

Jareth stood and stretched, his shirt riding up just enough to show a pale slice of flesh. Then, he tapped his chin and said, "This trick-or-treating requires a costume, correct? What shall I dress as?"

Sarah waited patiently as Jareth procured a crystal ball, then stared into it, turning it this way and that. He even preened a little, before the ball exploded in a shower of glittery smoke. Sarah coughed and waved her hand, wondering if the theatrics went along with being Goblin King or if it was just a Jareth thing. When the smoke settled, she saw the costume Jareth had chosen and her eyebrows rose in surprise.

He was in full Goblin King Regalia. Specifically, the black armor thing he'd worn when he'd warned her to turn back at the foot of the Labyrinth. The stiff collar flared around his dandelion puff hair, his eyebrows swept up dramatically over his sharp features; the outer cape was in tatters, the inner folds a brilliant blue that contrasted sharply against the black breastplate paired with black pants and nearly-knee-high leather boots. Against his chest rested the familiar pendant with its strange, inverted-horns design.

Sarah said, incredulously, "You're going as…you?"

"No, I'm going as the Goblin King, circa ten years ago," Jareth said, smirking. "A character created for a girl with a particular fascination for well-dressed villains."

Sarah's lips jerked, wanting to smile, but she kept the dour expression and said, "Are you telling me, Jareth, that you _aren't _a villain?"

"I'm not _that _Goblin King, Sarah."

Sarah snorted, teasingly. "Next, you'll tell me you didn't like playing the villain."

Jareth grinned. "Oh no, I doubt anyone could believe me if I claimed _that_." Suddenly, he sobered and straightened his gloves, thoughtfully, then said, "However, it is true you made some very gross and callous assumptions about my disposition when you ran my Labyrinth."

"_Assumptions?_" Sarah sputtered. "Are you kidding me? Does 'fear me, do as I say' ring a bell?"

"You skipped parts of that. What about the 'love me and I will be your slave' sections?"

"Well, they weren't quite as…_attention grabbing_ when bracketed by a requirement of obedience!" However, Sarah flushed remembering those words. _Love me, _he had said that all those years ago. In order to distract herself, she viciously added, "Oh, _and _you sent the cleaners after me! And stuffed me into an oubliette! _And _tried to drop me into the Bog of Eternal Stench!"

Jareth sighed, held up a hand where he ticked off each point as he spoke: "Yes, I sent the cleaners on you, but it was very easy to escape. A simple wall that fell through. Similarly with the oubliette, Hogwart quickly appeared to rescue you. And as for the Bog, you weren't the _real _target. Now if only that dwarf had fallen in…notice the cleverly positioned ledge that you grabbed onto. And if we are pointing fingers, Precious, what about all the destruction you wrought? The Goblin City was in flames for a week after your mayhem! And let us not forget how you destroyed my gate guard, or smeared lipstick on my cobblestones, or broke my dream bubble with a _chair_."

"How does a dream bubble count? It was a dream!"

"It was _rude_."

Sarah opened her mouth to say something, hands on her hips, and then she realized how this conversation sounded and instead she laughed, which caused Jareth to look at her with such a confounded, irate expression that she couldn't help but laugh again. She said, "Listen to us, we sound ridiculous. If you want to go as the Big Bad Goblin King, that's just fine. Here, it's not very big, but it'll hold a nice amount of candy." She handed him a paper gift bag that had been spray painted black, matching her own.

Jareth took it hesitantly, then stared at it with obvious disapproval. A wave of his gloved hand, some of that glittery smoke, and the bag was suddenly a deep, velvet black with silvery lines of thread etched through it. Sarah stared, shaking her head with amusement, but she didn't say anything.

She threaded an arm through Jareth's and said, "Ready, Goblin King?"

"Of course. Bring on the tricks—and treats!"

And that was how Sarah and Jareth the Goblin King began Halloween that year—in costume and ready for anything.

As it happened, "anything" turned out to be a group of children that nearly ran into them as they exited Sarah's home. Sarah dodged young children, but Jareth had his ground and let them part around him like the Red Sea. One young boy, near the back of the group and dressed as a werewolf, pointed to the Goblin King and said, "Cool costume!"

Jareth gave Sarah a significant "I told you so" look. She snorted and grabbed his hand, pulling him down the street. She said, "Let's start on Mulberry, up there," she pointed. "People give out better candy on Mulberry."

She knew this because kids talked when they came for their candy apples. She felt a little guilty…she'd made a small tray of them and put them in a plastic pumpkin for kids to grab. She knew how they were though; quickly, the candy apples would be gone. Couple this with the fact she hadn't had any candy apples last year and her reputation as the best treats in the neighborhood would be ruined. Yet, as she felt Jareth's warm palm against her own…she couldn't bring herself to care much.

They passed a few lone trick-or-treaters—teenagers with varied costumes, including one girl in a sexy maid outfit. She looked too young for the costume and Sarah snorted derisively under her breath. When they turned onto Mulberry, the number of children increased. Mulberry was known for the number of retired folks who liked trick-or-treaters, coupled with the neighborhood being a safe one, it attracted a lot of people on Halloween.

Jareth looked around, then noticed a house a lot of children seemed to be going toward. "Let us sojourn there first," he said. "Surely the treats must be good by the crowd gathered."

Sarah nodded, although there was something odd by the crowd…she just couldn't put her finger on it. She adjusted her hat, making sure she looked appropriately witchy. The retired folks always liked to make cute comments about costumes and pinch cheeks; she remembered that from her days of trick-or-treating as a kid. She wondered if it was odd to see a twenty-five year old with…she glanced at Jareth. Well, he _could _pass for anywhere from late twenties to…older? It was tough to tell with the sweeping eyebrows, the sharp features, and all that wheat-gold hair. They probably made an odd looking pair.

_Couple, _her mind supplied. She pointedly ignored it.

They climbed up the porch steps just as the crowd dispersed. Sarah rang the doorbell and said, "When the door opens, you have to say 'trick-or-treat.'"

"Why?"

"That's the way it goes."

"Seems redundant and false—it sounds like I'm giving them a choice when you have clearly said we're here for treats and not tricks."

"Let's not start that—"

The door opened and Sarah plastered on a smile—which immediately faded, and her eyebrows rose looking at the woman that stood before her. Last she'd heard, Mulberry was filled with retired people, but she heavily doubted this young woman was retired. And now that she was staring at the sexy nurse outfit—cut _very _flatteringly to show off ample cleavage—she realized what had seemed odd about the crowd of trick-or-treaters that had just left. There'd been an inordinate amount of boys, mostly teenaged. Sarah inwardly groaned. Of all the houses, this had to be the first.

In the background, there was the steady beating pulse of music and the ruckus of people making merry. The sexy nurse held a cup of beer in one hand and a bowl of candy in the other, however she paused when she saw the Goblin King and licked her cherry red lips. She said, "You're not trick-or-treating, are you?"

"Yes," Sarah answered, despite the fact the woman hadn't even glanced her way yet.

"I am told I should say 'trick-or-treat,' but I think I'll just say: procure some confectionaries post-haste or I will be forced to unleash many a trick upon your unprotected domicile," Jareth said, regally, as he held out his black bag. He managed to look elegant and kingly.

The "nurse" looked him over and Sarah rolled her eyes. How much more obvious could it get? And then Jareth smirked and Sarah started to get angry.

"Sure hun," the woman said, "just grab _all _you want." She paused, significantly, then held out the candy bowl.

Jareth looked at what was offered and chose a Snickers, tossing it casually into his bag. He looked almost disappointed, like he'd hoped the woman would have allowed him to go through with his threat of tricks.

Sarah reached forward and grabbed a Snickers bar, too, and the woman finally gave her a brief, appraising look, before turning her attention back to Jareth and said, "I _love_ your costume."

Jareth inclined his head, taking the compliment.

The woman frowned briefly, then said, "I'm having a Halloween party. Why don't you come in for a while? It's a ton of fun, and we've got plenty of food and drinks." She waved the beer, the amber liquid sloshing against the plastic cup.

Sarah's ire rose again. Seriously? It was like something out of a clichéd movie. Sarah was about to grab Jareth's elbow and drag him away when he said, "Unfortunately, there are many more houses to trick…and treat."

The nurse pouted prettily. "You sure, hun? The party's gonna keep going all night, so if you change your mind…"

Jareth didn't answer, so after an awkward moment where the woman pointedly ignored Sarah again, she went back inside and shut the door with a soft _click_. Jareth started down the steps and Sarah had to take two deep calming breaths before following him. But, as they left that house behind—the thump of the music now clearly audible from the front lawn, as if the woman had purposefully raised the volume—Sarah couldn't help but say, "She liked you."

"Is that so surprising?" Jareth asked, grinning.

Sarah muttered, "_Annoying _is more like it." And because she was in a foul mood, she added, "You could have gone to her party if you wanted."

Either Jareth missed the tone or chose to ignore it, because he kept his eyes on the next house and answered, easily, "But I didn't want to, Precious."

_Don't read too much into that, _Sarah advised herself, but she couldn't help being inordinately pleased. Her anger leaked away and in a few moments she was smiling.

They trick-or-treated at a few more houses, collecting a nice bit of candy, a good-sized bulge growing in their bags. Jareth pulled out a box and said, "What is this one?"

Sarah glanced at it. "Milk Duds."

"Milk Duds? What a silly name." Jareth stared at the box.

"I always thought so, too, but they're pretty good. They have caramel in the middle."

"Not milk?"

Sarah snorted. "That would be frightening. Candy with liquid milk in the middle. I think it's called that because it's milk chocolate, but I don't know. Candies have weird names."

"And children collect these candies like precious artifacts on Halloween. Odd."

"I used to horde my candy for a whole year," Sarah said with a smile, remembering years long gone. "Halloween was always my favorite holiday. I could dress up and pretend without anyone saying anything different, then get lots of candies, and watch scary movies. It was great."

Jareth didn't say anything for a very long time, then he murmured, "You played pretend quite a bit. I remember the first time I saw you was in the park, the leaves were just turning golden, and you had that infernal dog with you. I had to be careful not to get close in my owl form or he'd start barking like a possessed beast. So I watched from the highest branches of a nearby oak. And then you found the book…"

"Yes," Sarah said, remembering. She glanced at Jareth, but his expression was unreadable. "Why is there a book that so clearly tells the directions of how to summon you and wish someone away?"

Jareth shrugged. "Over the years, fables are created from grains of truth, like your _Swan Princess_."

Sarah's eyebrows rose. "A princess was really turned into a swan once?"

"Sarah, all kinds of things have happened to princesses—and princes. And kings," Jareth said, he opened his mouth, as if to say more, but they arrived at another house and the conversation was lost in lieu of trick-or-treating.

Finally, they came to the last house on the block; it was also the one buffered against a dead-end. There was no other house at the dead-end, and the road just stopped, the ground dipping into a drainage ditch grown over with scraggly grass. The lamp light was dimmer here, and the breeze cooler. Sarah rubbed her arms and looked at the house, which had all its lights on and two jaunty pumpkins with the usual triangle eyes and toothy grins.

Sarah wondered what this small side-street was called. She hefted her candy bag. It was pretty heavy. She almost considered asking Jareth if he just wanted to head back, but he was already climbing the porch steps, so she followed him. The porch creaked a few times—pretty atmospheric, considering.

Sarah leaned forward and rang the doorbell, then waited with her bag extended. Jareth, a fast learner, mimicked her movement and waited quietly. She noticed a slight frown marring his features and she was about to ask him what was wrong when the door opened.

Light pooled out from the house. A petite, curvy woman in a witch's costume peeked out with a bowl of candy. She smiled at Sarah and said, "Aren't you a little old to be trick-or-treating?"

This wasn't the first time Sarah had been asked that question, so she had a ready response. "What can I say? I don't want to grow up. It sucks having to be an adult."

The young woman laughed, a very pretty sound, and it caused her eyes to sparkle. She glanced at Jareth, probably to ask him the same thing, when she did a double-take. Sarah saw Jareth blanch, and then the woman pointed at him and yelped, "You!"

Jareth sighed with exasperation. "Fancy meeting you here."

* * *

**Author's Notes:** So, I really did mean to end it as a three-shot, but then I got a few good ideas and the story expanded so it's a four-shot now. :P I know there wasn't much fluffiness in this chapter, but the next one will (hopefully) amply make up for it. I'm sorry I didn't finish this story sooner...I really did mean to upload the last part of it on Monday by the latest, but I've been SOO busy and kind of under the weather (a double whammy!) but that just means the Halloween spirit gets to last a little longer...right? Right? :D

Oh...and yes, a cliffhanger. I know! Don't egg me! Don't worry, all will become clear (*insert evil chuckle here*).

**Please review!** All comments/suggestions/questions/etc. are welcome and replied to. I love feedback, I love knowing what my readers think, and it encourages me to continue working (I'm shameless, I know). I hope you guys like this story so far!

* * *

_Disclaimer: Despite my efforts at the contrary (*eyes Jareth*), I don't own anything regarding the Labyrinth except for my own original characters. Nada, zilch, nothing._


	4. Part Four

**Candies and Pumpkins (Part Four)**

Sarah opened her mouth to say, "You _who_?" but the woman's next words made her mouth snap shut.

"Change your mind?"

_What is this? Hit on Jareth day? _Sarah fought the urge to beat her head against the porch in frustration. Was she the only one who noticed the _evil Goblin King _bit? To her surprise, Jareth looked exasperated. She'd think he'd be preening at the attentions of yet another good looking, young woman.

Sarah looked the woman over. She had thick, dark hair and creamy coffee colored skin. She had an accent, Spanish.

"Woman, you really need to stop meeting me at every turn of my head," Jareth said, quietly. "It simply won't do."

"Jareth, _I'm _the one that lives here," the woman answered, annoyed. "_You're _the one who rang my front door…" She glanced at Sarah, interest sparking in her eyes. "Who's this?"

"Sarah," Jareth said.

"Ah." The woman smiled, showing off straight, white teeth bordered by full, ruby lips. This woman was annoying Sarah more than the sexy "nurse." The woman held out her hand and said, "My name's Annette. Pleasure to finally meet you."

"Finally?" Sarah asked, shaking Annette's hand.

"Jareth mentioned you a few times. Granted, he was drunk on mead, but…" Annette's grin widened as Jareth glared daggers at her.

"Jareth? Drunk on _mead?_" Sarah gaped. There were a few things in Annette's half-finished sentence that was causing her brain to stutter. Jareth drunk—she couldn't picture that. And then, Jareth drunk on _mead_. Did anyone really drink the stuff anymore? She'd always pictured him as a rum and Coke type of guy. Or a smooth, aged brandy.

"Well, that was a while ago..." Annette said. "Want to come in?"

"No," Jareth said.

"Yes," Sarah said, at the same time.

It wasn't surprising who won. In a few seconds, they were inside Annette's home, which was a quaint two-bedroom that looked completely human. Sarah glanced at the darkly upholstered sofa, the rich wood furniture, and the pretty photographs on the wall. She pointed to one of Flamenco dancers, their arms bent gracefully, not a single hair out of place despite the action shot. "That's gorgeous," she said.

"Ah, thanks. I took it myself. Want something to drink? Coffee? Water?" Annette took off her witch hat and perched it on the back of the sofa.

"No," Jareth said.

"Coffee," Sarah said, at the same time.

Annette grinned. "Make yourself at home." She glanced at Jareth for a moment longer, and some message traveled through them, unspoken. Sarah frowned, her good mood souring again. For a few moments, she had thought…well, that Annette _wasn't _important to Jareth, but now…why was it so bad if this woman was important to him? Why did she care? She really shouldn't, only people who had _feelings _for someone else would care.

_Oh boy, _Sarah thought, sitting on the sofa, careful not to dislodge the witch's hat. Jareth sat diagonally, on the matching love seat. A movement out of the corner of her eye caused Sarah to look towards the hallway, where a black cat had appeared from a semi-closed door. The cat had the greenest eyes she'd ever seen, like glowing peridots. She watched as it slunk across the floor and then, with a mighty leap, landed in Jareth's lap.

The cat purred and Jareth sighed, obligingly petting it behind the ears.

Sarah touched Jorge. She'd tied the stuffed cat to her waist with a scarf. She said, "The cat knows you. Or it's the friendly sort."

Jareth looked up, regarding her with an expressionless face and those mismatched eyes. Sarah petted Jorge, unknowingly mirroring Jareth's own movements. The soft, fake fur was comforting.

When Jareth didn't say anything, Sarah huffed with annoyance. "Okay, Jareth, enough is enough. Who is she?"

Jareth said, "An old friend." He hesitated, and Sarah waited impatiently. He gave the cat another pat and finally added, "He's Annette's familiar."

"Of course he is," Sarah muttered. "What's his name?"

Jareth hesitated again, then said, "Gato."

Sarah snorted. She'd taken enough of high school Spanish to know what the word meant. "Original," she muttered, then she stiffened as she realized what it could mean that Jareth knew Annette well enough to know what her cat was named.

"So, what are the chances that the mighty Labyrinth Winner would live only a few blocks from me?" Annette said, walking into the living room with two cups of coffee. She handed one to Sarah and took a sip from the other cup.

"I don't know," Sarah said, coldly, glancing at Jareth.

"Complete coincidence," Jareth answered. He pushed Gato off his lap and added, "I'm lucky like that."

"How are you nowadays?" Annette asked Jareth, taking another sip of her coffee. She had very kind eyes, deep and soulfully brown.

Sarah fidgeted.

"Excellent," Jareth answered. "Yourself?"

Annette smiled. "I like this place better than New York. I'm glad I moved. The air is clearer here."

This was becoming all kinds of awkward. Sarah would have excused herself if that hadn't just increased the awkwardness—and she didn't want to. She was watching Jareth and Annette closely, noticing their body language was relaxed with each other, like good friends. _Or old lovers, _her paranoid part of her mind whispered. She really needed to stop thinking about stuff like that.

Jareth nodded, accepting the information without comment. Annette turned to Sarah. "You must be dying with curiosity."

At first, Sarah thought to play dumb, but Annette's candidness, coupled with her honest and open-faced expression, forced her to answer just as honestly—well, as honestly as she could manage.

"Just a bit," she said, with a smile.

"Jareth and I go to the same Samhain celebration," Annette said. "We celebrate it every year—well, except the last few you haven't been showing up." This last was said toward Jareth. "Gotten busy?"

"The duties of a king never end," Jareth answered, stiffly.

"Samhain," Sarah murmured. She frowned, glancing at Jareth. "You said you didn't celebrate Halloween!"

"I _don't_," Jareth huffed, indignantly. He crossed his ankles and leaned back in the chair. "Samhain is a harvest festival, parts of which have influenced Halloween. But I've never done the celebrations as you do it," he wiggled his fingers, indicating all the celebrations he spoke of, "with the carving of squash, the costuming, the candies and movies."

Annette's eyebrows rose. "Candies and movies?" She snickered. "Are you saying you've gotten the great Goblin King to watch scary movies and munch on Halloween candy?"

Sarah grinned, glancing at Jareth, who looked affronted. He reminded her of a cat, all huffy indignation. She said, "Jareth is very interested in the strange dealings of us simple mortals. Right Goblin King?"

Jareth snorted, looking away.

Sarah sipped at her quickly cooling coffee. "So, you are Jareth go to parties together?"

"One, actually. Every year, there's a celebration of Samhain—not because of the harvest festival, that was merely something created by the Gaels long ago. No, Samhain is one of the few times a year when the veil between the worlds is thinner; it's easier to move between this place, the Goblin Kingdom, and every other magical place."

"Are there many?" Sarah asked, intrigued. "Magical places?"

"Quite a few," Annette said.

Sarah blinked and refocused on the girl. "Why do you go? You seem normal to me."

Jareth frowned. "I could take affront to that, precious." He didn't notice the way Annette's gaze flicked over to him when he said the pet-name, but Sarah did.

"You know what I mean, Jareth," Sarah answered. She smiled at Annette. "You're a witch, right, Annette? Jareth said Gato was your familiar."

"You remember Gato? You said you weren't a pet person, Jareth."

Jareth shrugged. "My mind is a steel trap. It remembers all kinds of information. And I'm not a pet person. Being the Goblin King will do that to you. Too many damn chickens—and goblins—running about, don't want to throw a dog or cat into the mix."

Annette nodded, glancing at Sarah. "I am a witch, one of the few real ones. I can do more than just nature spells or dark spells, more than fly on a broom if I so wished. As a result, I get a standing invitation to places where mortals don't usually go. I suppose you could too, if you pressed for it. You're the Champion, the Girl who Beat the Goblin King."

Jareth snorted, but they both ignored him. Their conversation was between each other now, engrossed in whatever undercurrents washed between them. Woman-to-woman.

Sarah's eyes widened. "Really?"

"I wouldn't be surprised. Don't you know the gift you've been given for winning?" Annette leaned forward, touching the back of Sarah's hand. "You don't know, do you?" She finally glanced at Jareth, surprise written across her expression. She directed the next question at him: "You've never told her?"

"Why should I?" Jareth said, angrily. "She wouldn't be interested."

"She would!" Sarah said, jerking away from Annette's touch. "I mean—I would! What is it?"

"Mortality makes people blind," Annette whispered, "until they're touched by something beyond their simple lives. You've been…touched by the fantastical, and if you wanted, you could walk between the veils easily. One of the perks to winning against a fantastical creature," Annette glanced at Jareth, who was sitting forward, gripping the armrests of the chair and shooting a daggered glare at the witch. "But not the only perk."

"Annette," Jareth growled.

"He'll answer wishes for you," Annette whispered, "if you'd only ask."

"_Annette!_" Jareth barked.

"Well, you will! And she deserves to know!" Annette said. "Honestly, Jareth, what are you playing at here? Showing up? Going trick-or-treating? What do you _want?_"

"We're not good enough friends for you to assume anything of me," Jareth hissed. "In fact, I don't think we're good enough friends—period."

Annette's expression closed off, her eyes darkening. "I'm sorry you feel that way. If we're not friends, then I can tell her the truth without worrying I'll upset you, hm?"

Jareth snarled angrily, looking away. For a moment, the house was quiet. Gato slid past Sarah's ankles, brushing his bushy, black tail against her ankle and causing her to jump. Otherwise, no one moved; the only sound was Jareth's harsh breathing.

Suddenly, Jareth surged to his feet. He glared at Annette, then glanced at Sarah, his expression softening slightly. Sarah's heart pounded at the flittering emotions parading across the Goblin King's mismatched eyes. He murmured, "Tell her what you want," and then with a poof of glittery smoke, he was gone.

Gato made a yowling noise, hissing at the empty spot and skittering away, disappearing down the hallway.

Annette sighed. "I hate it when he does that, don't you? All that glitter. Horrible to get out of the carpet."

Sarah stood, but Annette grabbed her wrist. "Don't worry about Jareth. He'll sulk somewhere for a while."

"I don't understand…"

"How long has Jareth been visiting you?"

"I—I—He only manages to visit once a year, on Halloween…"

"When the veil is thin," Annette said, softly. "No wonder he hasn't been going to the Samhain celebrations, he's been visiting _you_ instead."

There was no jealousy in her voice, which caused Sarah to turn back to the witch. If it had been her, there would have been jealousy. Why wasn't Annette jealous? Sarah frowned. Why did she care?

_Because I want the Goblin King to visit me; I like his company._

Okay, she couldn't deny that anymore. She did like his company, she was sad she only saw him once a year. Oh boy, what did that mean?

Something must have shown in her face, because Annette said, "Oh dear, has my intentions come across wrongly?" She chuckled and leaned forward, letting go of Sarah's hand so she could recline on the armrest, propping her chin on the back of her hand.

"Sarah, do you know how old I am?"

Sarah opened her mouth, intending to guess the young woman's age. Twenty-eight? Thirty? Thirty-five, tops. But, she stopped when she looked into the woman's eyes and saw—endless depths, darkness, like twin brown abysses. They were like Jareth's eyes, the few times he'd turned and looked at her with the fullness of his otherworldliness. Deep. Infinite.

_Forever, _Sarah thought, shivering. Her guesses died on her tongue. Annette wasn't mortal, or if she was, she'd seen more than anything Sarah could imagine. Maybe she wasn't mortal anymore.

"No, I couldn't even begin to guess," Sarah murmured.

"I think it's felicitous that you came here today, with the Goblin King, before I left for my own Samhain celebrations…"

"Is it?"

"Yes. He didn't tell you, which isn't fair. You don't know the power you have."

"You mentioned wishes."

"I did."

"I don't understand." Sarah sunk into the chair Jareth had been sitting in. She rubbed her forehead, sighing. When had this Halloween become so complicated? She just wanted to trick-or-treat! Just a bit of aimless fun! "I told him he had no power over me. How could I be able to ask him for wishes?"

"_He _has no power over you," Annette said, "unless you give him power."

"Why would I do that?"

Annette frowned, then her eyebrows slowly rose as she realized something—something that made her tip her head back and laugh. Sarah stiffened, but Annette waved a hand, her eyes sparkling with mirth. She said, laughing still, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Sarah, but if you really need me to answer why you'd want the Goblin King to have power over you, you're very naïve. There's more than just the bad sort of power, you know?" She paused, her smile fading slightly into something that looked akin to sympathy. Sarah didn't like the expression. "What did the Goblin King say to you?"

"What?" Sarah frowned, thinking. But the memory rose unbidden to her mind, the words echoing through her head.

"_Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave…"_

"Jareth wanted my obedience," Sarah murmured. "Back then. But, that doesn't make sense, he's been really friendly to me lately, not like a villain at all."

"Obedience?" Annette whispered. She scratched her chin thoughtfully. "You should hear the things he says when he's drunk on mead. What else did he say?"

"I—" Sarah shook her head, but again the memory was there, close to the surface. She could never forget those few hours when she'd been in the Labyrinth; regardless of the fact she wasn't fifteen anymore, she felt that night had shaped her unlike anything else. Despite her words, the Goblin King did have power over her. Of course he did. The power of influence; the power of her past and memories.

"_I have reordered time. I have turned the world upside-down. And I have done it all for you! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me."_

Her expectations of him? Like how she wanted a friend now, not a villain?

Sarah shook her head. "He's selfish, self-centered—"

"Yes, because he's had no reason to be anything else." Annette shrugged. "But he can be a good friend. Despite what he says, we _are _friends, we are friendly. I see him once a year and he can be friendly. I wonder, if given half the chance, could he be…more than friendly?" Annette looked at Sarah knowingly. "Someone gives him the power to be and he could…maybe make a few wishes come true."

"Wishes, you said he could make my wishes come true…"

"Sarah," Annette said, gently, leaning forward, "I think Jareth would do anything to make your wishes come true."

Sarah blanched, shaking her head. "No…no, he took my brother. He sent the Cleaners after me. He—he—"

"Maybe you two should talk. Sometime, when you're ready, of course." Annette leaned forward, picking up Gato and petting the cat gently. He watched Sarah with peridot eyes. "You should come to the Samhain celebrations sometime."

Sarah felt like her mind was full of buzzing bees, her thoughts tumbled over each other in confusion. She shook her head again. She said, "What did Jareth tell you when he was drunk?"

"Hmm, well, lots of things, actually." Annette said, leaning back thoughtfully. "He babbled a lot about chickens. He doesn't seem to like them very much. Oh! There was something about 'kissing the dwarf, can't believe she'd do that.' Something about it being 'bloody unbelievable.' Oh! And he kept singing some song…"

"Do you remember the song?" Sarah asked when Annette's voice faded away.

"Mmm, not a lot. The lyrics were nice, I remember that. 'You starve and near exhaust me, everything I've done, I've done for you.'" Annette smiled. "'You Precious thing.'"

Sarah's heart lurched. She asked, hesitantly, "When was this? When did he say all these things?"

"Oh, it must be a few years ago now. He hasn't been back for a while." Annette tapped her chin, thoughtfully. Gato purred softly in her lap and with her free hand, Annette idly stroked the cat. "Four? Five?"

_It was my twenty-first Halloween that the Goblin King came. Four years ago._

"I have to go," Sarah said, suddenly, knowing it was horribly rude. She added, "Thank you for the coffee."

"Anytime. I'm just a block away, if you ever need anything."

Sarah smiled, although she wasn't paying much attention to the words. She needed to leave, she needed to find Jareth and talk to him before Halloween was over. She left Annette, who watched with interest. She had a smile on her face like the cat who had caught the canary. The real cat in her lap flicked its tail and Annette gently petted him.

Sarah left the house, standing outside under the dark sky. The night had grown later, perhaps by an hour, and the trick-or-treaters had reduced. Sarah retied the stuffed cat around her waist, to make sure she didn't lose it. She half-jogged and half-walked back home, ignoring the trick-or-treaters and the pleasantness of the evening. She only had Jareth on her mind, and her own confused heart.

"_Everything you have wanted I have done." _Jareth was a selfish bastard, but he was also a good friend. Annette suggested…oh god, was Annette suggesting Jareth had _feelings_ for her? How had this happened?

She arrived back at record-breaking time, but the apartment was empty. Looking around with frustration, she went from living room to bedroom to bathroom—just in case—but there was no one; the place was empty of both goblins and the Goblin King.

Sarah collapsed onto the sofa with a deep sigh. The stuffed cat poked into her side and with a grunt of frustration, she undid the sash and threw the cat away from her. A moment later, she felt guilty for it. Jorge hadn't done anything; he didn't deserve such rough treatment.

But she didn't go to pick him up. Instead, she leaned back against the sofa and stared at the ceiling before rubbing the heels of her hands over her eyes, giving a shuddering sigh. She said, softly, to herself, "I wish this were easier, but it's always a damn Labyrinth with you Jareth. I need to talk to you."

"Is _that_ a part of the wish, precious?"

Sarah gasped, jerking upright as if someone had stuck a pin in a side. Her heart hammered in her chest, first by the surprise at seeing Jareth seated in her armchair, and then by the fact Jareth was in her armchair.

He was wearing a dark coat, embroidered with bright threads, and tight black pants with his signature riding boots. A leather crop waved about, gripped in his right hand. His hair sported black streaks in the blonde. He was in full Dark Goblin King regalia, and he was definitely sulking. Sarah was surprised by the way her heart thumped at that knowledge. Shouldn't she be annoyed by a Goblin King sulk? Instead, she fought the urge to grin.

She wondered what exactly he was sulking about: the fact Annette had told him things he didn't want her to know? The fact that she'd let him leave?

"Maybe," Sarah said. "How long is there left of Halloween?"

Jareth glanced over at the stove where the dial lit brightly and said, "Three hours."

"And then you have to go back," Sarah said, softly, "because the veil thins again."

Jareth was silent, looking out the balcony instead of at her. After a few moments, Sarah began to wonder if he would speak at all, or if he was waiting for her to say something else. She opened her mouth, not quite sure what would come out, but before she could say anything, Jareth shifted and sighed.

"Yes," he said, simply.

"I don't understand, you can come and go as you please, right? I mean, you're the Goblin King, you appeared in my brother's room—"

"Because of a wish," Jareth said, bitterly, sweeping the riding crop across until it slapped against his leather boot. "My comings and goings are usually dictated by the wishes of others. A wish for someone to be taken away, and I appear. But, there are three days of the year where I can easily travel between my kingdom and this place. Unless…"

"Unless?" Sarah asked, leaning forward unconsciously.

Jareth met her gaze for the first time since appearing back in her home. He had a small smirk on his face, but it seemed sad, unlike the usual confident, know-it-all leer. She liked that one better, actually.

"Unless someone wishes me the freedom of movement. Your words were quite final the last time you made a wish of me, or more a statement, really. How did it go again? 'You have no power over me.' And so, I didn't—I don't."

Sarah flushed. The words, for the first time, seemed unnecessarily cruel.

She took off her witch hat and placed it aside, then said softly, "Jareth, if I ask you a question…can you answer it honestly?"

Jareth said nothing, but he waited, swishing the crop back and forth. Sarah sighed and pointed at it. "Will you put that away?"

"For you, precious," Jareth said, softly, and with a flick of his wrist, the crop disappeared with a bit of glitter, "anything."

Sarah shifted, trying to get her courage up to ask the question. She had always been brave and straightforward—or so she liked to think—but with Jareth staring at her, she found her bravery depleting quickly and her breath coming fast. In the end, her courage fled and she didn't ask the question she truly wanted. Instead, she finally looked away and stammered, "W—Why do you visit me every year?"

"Why?" Jareth looked thoughtful. "It's amusing. Don't you find it amusing, precious?"

"_Amusing?" _Sarah sputtered, but when she looked back at Jareth, he was grinning and she huffed with annoyance. "Why can't you ever just give me a straight answer?"

"Is that a wish, Sarah?" Jareth joked.

Sarah raised her brows, taking the challenge. Her bravery flared when challenged. Jareth always knew how to push her. She crossed her arms over her chest and said, "Fine then, I wish you'd tell me a straight answer to my question."

"Why do I visit every year? Do you really not know?" Jareth suddenly stood. He was highlighted by the balcony's sliding glass door, the moonlight came in to cause his blonde hair to glow like a crown. Jareth moved closer, his stride graceful. He leaned forward, resting one hand on the sofa's arm. She could smell that scent of cinnamon and wilderness, and her mouth watered. Her heartbeat picked up, until it seemed so loud that she feared Jareth could hear it. Maybe he could, since his lips curled in a satisfied smirk; the one she knew so well.

"No, I don't," Sarah murmured, and then quickly added, "So many years have passed since…and, you know, you only visit once a year—"

"Sarah…" Jareth sighed and sat next to her on the sofa. Sarah turned, facing him. They sat close enough that her knees brushed his. "Sarah, what do you _wish_ from me?"

"I wish…" Sarah leaned forward. His mismatched eyes really were beautiful, one the color of the sky during day, the other the sky during night. His eyes showed the dichotomy of his nature; both playful and villainous, and yet, she thought at that moment she could enjoy his personality no matter what it brought.

So far, it had brought nothing but adventure. Even when just eating candy apples or watching scary movies, she knew it would be a great adventure if Jareth was there.

"I wish for you to visit much more often," Sarah murmured, shifting so that she knelt on the sofa. She moved forward, scooting closer.

Jareth smiled, his eyes twinkling. He waited, letting Sarah come closer, and whispered when her lips were merely inches from his, "How often, precious?"

She felt the brush of his breath against her lips and shivered. She whispered, "Much…much more often."

She kissed him then. A gentle brush of lips against lips, soft and inviting. He tasted like she had hoped: sweet, wild, cinnamon spice. She wanted to taste again, so she dipped close and gently nipped at his bottom lip.

Jareth shuddered as Sarah leaned back and he looked at her with a softness she'd never seen before—or at least, not so openly displayed on his face. He touched her cheek and said, huskily, "Sarah…"

Sarah smiled and turned to kiss Jareth's palm. "Slowly," she said. "We've got a while now, right?"

"Right," Jareth said, smirking.

Sarah grabbed a DVD off the coffee table and curled up against Jareth's side, resting her head on his shoulder. She showed it to Jareth. "_Dawn of the Dead_? I've seen the first, but never got to the second. Zombies are scary."

Jareth wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. "Sarah?"

"Mmm?" Sarah felt warm all over. She wondered why she'd never taken this chance before.

"Tomorrow is Samhain…"

Sarah frowned. "Let's just watch the DVD for now, Jareth and leave decision making for later." If she thought about this too much right now, she might start remembering things like the fact that she was considering dating _the Goblin King_. He had a kingdom to go back to. Plus there was his whole profession of stealing children.

Sarah sighed, some of the warmth slipping away. She forced herself to focus back on the present.

Jareth shifted, nodding slowly, his gaze fixed on her. Maybe he realized some of her thoughts, because he pulled her close again. Sarah leaned her cheek on his chest, hearing the rumble of his voice as he spoke, "There's one problem, though."

"What's that?" Sarah asked, frowning.

"I'm not moving, and I'm not letting you move, so how're we going to put the disc in?"

Sarah laughed. "That _is_ a problem! Where's a goblin when you need one?"

"Jeebo!"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Yes, I kind of left this hanging. Yes, I do plan a sequel sometime (hmm, Halloween IS coming up...) and yes, this isn't the best thing I've ever written. In fact, I'm pretty nervous about it for lots of reasons. One, this is completely unedited, something I usually don't do, but it's been lying on my hard drive half finished for so long, I just needed to get it OUT. Also, with life being swallowed whole by work (60-some hours a week does NOT make CQ a happy camper), I've had very little time to write and I'm trying desperately to get back in the groove. So consider this my effort at re-grooving. I hope it doesn't disappoint too much. :) Let me know what you think, I am quite anxious for feedback. And like I said, yes there's a sequel in the works, a one-shot that's going to be full of JS fluff.


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